Staff at the Billericay School have launched plans to build a new £500,000 sixth form centre at its School Road headquarters.

Work is set to start soon on the new centre, which is needed because of a large expansion in the number of students wanting to join the school's sixth form.

The centre, which will be alongside the existing school library, will provide a variety of facilities designed to help sixth form life run smoothly.

A larger common room, a kitchen and a servery will all be provided along with two state-of-the-art areas designed specifically for study.

One of the study areas will become a dedicated sixth form-only library, enabling pupils to complete their research for A-levels and GNVQ studies.

Both study areas will feature up-to-date computer equipment with full internet facilities.

Architects for the project, staff and pupils were at a launch of the plans, which featured a model of the new building.

Susan Hammond, school headteacher, said the facilities would help the school move smoothly into the new millennium.

She said: "It is wonderful to be able to provide a purpose-built area in the school.

"It will give the students an identity and provide them with the tools they need to help them become independent learners as they prepare for university."

The announcement of the new facilities completes a good couple of months for the Billericay School.

It recently reopened its A-block, named Millennium Quad, after an extensive refurbishment and head of music John Stevenson picked up the prestigious Billericay Citizen of the Year award in recognition of his work promoting music in the town.

He is the brains behind the school's orchestra, which has received Europe-wide recognition and has appeared on BBC TV's Blue Peter programme.

New kids on the block - sixth form students Nicola Burns and Alex Hearn, both aged 16, with the model of the new school building

Picture: ADAM SCOREY

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